Squeaky Penguin's (Trip Reports) Build Thread

Well shit, I used a push button as a donor. I would think with it being a manual shift for high low those parts would transfer over.

Everything seems to be shifting fine, but I better figure out for sure before going forward.

I figured it was only the full electric ones on the newer trucks wouldn't work.

 

Don't quote me, I'm probably wrong. It gets a bit confusing when talking about doing triple stick vs not and what you can/can't use in terms of e-shift or j-shift cases (additionally the differences between 1st and 2nd gens)

Some good info on it in this thread
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/official-crawlbox-bs-thread.422186/page-151#post-27499029

 

It certainly does get confusing. But I'm pretty sure that's only applies if you have a full electronic case.

 

which makes sense cause @Littles showed in his thread how different the fully electronic cases are in his thread

 

Yeah, so judging by the parts diagrams for both AT and MT 1st gens with and without push button 4wd, that gear that Brian had to swap is the same between all of them.

I'm nearly certain that whole 'electric case' info only applies if the case has an electric high-low actuator as well.

 

One thing worth mentioning that I ran into. Cut more than you think you need to in the floor opening for the shifters and rear case. Between the cab mounts moving around and the torque from the duals, they made more contact than I expected.
I also did the marmount mod on my trans mount to try and help cut down on the amount of twisting.

 

I’m hoping yours works out. I’ve got an eco crawler on order and would rather not have to track down another j-shift in order to run triple sticks. I called back today to make sure we didn’t have a miscommunication, but Kris is out sick

 

I have solid engine and trans mounts, and poly cab mounts, so way less movement than stock.

Speaking of which, I was going to mention that before, becasue between all that and my hacked up motor mount perches and mounts, I really have no clue where the trans is sitting compared to stock. But really, it doesn't look too far off your picture.

Well, let us know what you hear!

 

I got confirmation from Kris at NWF that a push button t-case will not work as a donor

 

You mean fully electric, not partially electric with a manual low/high correct?

 

Nope, he said that only a fully manual j-shift case can be used as a donor.

 

Maybe for the specific eco crawler you got? None of that makes sense to me considering that is the purpose of the eco crawlers existence, make ALL or at least MOST chain driven cases usable.

From their website:

I can understand needing a j-shift rear in order to work with their triple shifters and a hybrid electric as the donor for the front, but saying you ONLY can use j-shifts for eco crawlers seems wrong. Unless I am completely misunderstanding what the conversation truly is about.

*EDIT* Remembering the conversation is around the triple sticks, my brain is failing me. I still don't understand why you can't use a hybrid front case and a j shift rear for triples since the actual shifting in the front case is done via a manual operation.

 

Yeah, I'm still not sure on this one -

Studied the parts diagrams again, and it sure looks like all the low range planetary parts are identical including the shift fork between the two cases. Given mine's assembled and working, I think I'll finish putting the truck together and test it.

 

I don’t understand it either, from everything I’ve looked at it seems it should work. I also mentioned to him that the website leads you to believe that the one-touch/hybrid case will work as donor… he said he’d look at that.

I ordered vf2-vf2-topshift spade

Im holding off on ordering sticks for now

 

I'm going to run it.

Not sure where the confusion is coming from, but everything I can see shows that it shouldn't be a problem. And thanks to @jstemp to confirming his has been working with a push-button donor.

 

I’m with you, it makes no sense that it wouldn’t work. I’m guessing the confusion is somewhere NWF’s sales dept.

 

I should have looked back for this sooner, but FWIW, from what I can tell that gear in your first photo does appear to be the correct one (right). Versus mine that was recessed on electronic shift (left)



Edit:added pic

I've been waiting to weigh in on this because I didn't want to be wrong, but now that @jstemp weighed in, I am going to jump on the band wagon here now and say run it. If it's shifting through the functions properly and not blowing past low, you should be good.

Honestly though, it's like 8 bolts to take that apart and split the eco crawler to look at it. Take you 30 minutes start to finish. Just sayin.

 

Before assembly I replaced all the bearings and thrust washers used from the donor. The part's are so the same I used the bearing #'s from a 2020 Tacoma. All fit on the 2004 Tacoma donor case gears with no problems.

I didn't intend to replace bearings up front but did it for a peice of mind. Hindsight I would have been better off paying more for a low mileage donor. All the bearings added up $$$

 

Spin the input shaft, go thru the gears and see what the tailshaft does. If shit turns, at different rates, it's prolly ok.